Twi'lek
Twi'leks, occasionally referred to as Rylothians or insultingly referred to as "Tail-heads", were a sentient species of tall and omnivorous humanoids originating from the planet Ryloth in the Outer Rim Territories. Biology Twi'leks had colouful skin which varied in pigment from individual to individual. Some of the colours that Twi'leks might be born with included red, purple, blue, pink, green, yellow, orange and white. Lekku They had a pair of long, shapely, prehensile appendages that grew from the crown or base of their skulls that were commonly called "lekku" or "head-tails", but were less commonly referred to as "tchun-tchun" and "brain-tails". These tentacles were advanced organs used for communicating and cognitive function. Twi'leks normally sported two lekku, however some of them had four instead. Lekku were not just used for housing communicative organs and neurological tissue, but also a certain amount of fat. Lekku did not contain any bones. Also, due to the fact that lekku could move independently of each other, it is likely that they possessed high motor functions and their own nerves. While it is possible that lekku may have been able to tense up or hold positions that take some effort, they could not be used for holding objects and it seems that holding them up for a constrained amount of time would tire them and cause them to drop back down into a resting position. Ears, Teeth, Hair, Environmental Reaction Like most but not all species of humanoid, Twi'leks had two biological sexes: male and female. The males had ears with lobes resembling the ones found in human ears, and the females had cone-shaped hearing organs that were to be found in the same place on the head. All Twi'leks had naturally blunt teeth, which many males sharpened into points. The species generally had a higher body temperature than other species did. Twi'leks could withstand a bit more physical suffering than the average humanoid. Twi'leks were largely hairless save for their armpits, genitalia, and sometimes eyebrows. Sub-Species Twi'leks classified different colours in a similar sense to how many races classified coloration genetics within their own species, however Twi'leks had no certified way to guarantee their children would be born a certain colour or that another colour would be excluded, hence colour-based discrimination was extremely rare and the very notion of it was viewed as ridiculous by many Twi'leks. Rutians were blue, usually somewhere between dark blue and aquamarine,with variations that included teal and turquoise. "Ruti" means "water" in Ryl. Rolan were yellow or orange Twi'leks named after the sun, as the sun could be orange or yellow depending upon it's position in the sky. The Lethan were named after the rarest skin colour within the Twi'lek species, red, which was caused by a mutation in their genetic code. Although they were considered rare throughout the Galaxy and on Ryloth, quite a few female Lethan Twi'leks existed on Naos III. Some people theorized that exposure to other individuals practicing the Dark Side makes it more likely that this genetic mutation would occur. Reproduction Twi'leks are one of the most populous species in the Galaxy, with their reproductive rate being around that of a human's. They are widespread throughout the Galaxy. Biological Compatibility Twi'leks could interbreed with a large number of humanoid species which included humans and Togrutas. Language Twi'leks had a rather ordinary vocal structure found in most other humanoid species and were capable of learning most of the languages spoken by those species, however many Twi'leks preferred to speak in their native language, Ryl, which incorporated substle lekku movements. One Ryl dialect allowed for them to communicate in complete secrecy using their lekku. Another language of their's was Twi'leki, which also combined verbal sounds and the use of their lekku, though lekku usage was more elaborate than in Ryl. An example of this was the crossing of both lekku tips, twice, which meant "I love you". Galactic Reception Female Twi'leks were regarded as graceful and beautiful by many beings throughout the Galaxy, and many females were forced into slavery. Other Twi'leks instead found themselves in positions of power, especially in crime syndicates and orders of Force-sensitives such as the Jedi Order. Due to the stereotype of Twi'leks being slaves, many Twi'leks could move through areas that others could not penetrate without being highly noticed. Due to this, some were employed as undercover agents. A belief commonly found in humaneocentrism and other xenophobic philosophies falsely claimed that the Twi'leks were artificially created by the Rakatan Infinite Empire, and that the species was not created on Ryloth but rather moved there following the Infinite Empire's fall. These same philosophies claimed that Twi'leks were naturally submissive, obedient, easily controlled, and possessed instinctive desires to be dominated and enslaved. While it is possible that the Rakatan Infinite Empire was responsible for the creation of the Twi'leks and that they were generally more submissive than other humanoid races, much of the information circulated by the people firmly believing these things is outright false. Numerous Twi'leks have proven themselves to be cutthroat diplomats and vicious warriors, and many a Twi'lek has been found leading a slave rebellion. Category:Species Category:Twi'lek Category:Ryloth